


En's Deep Space Nine Illustrated Ficlets

by subspacecommunication (nattherat)



Series: Star Trek Ficlets [3]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Alien Biology, Angst, Blood, Established Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Illustrated, Kid Fic, M/M, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Species Swap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-12
Updated: 2017-09-17
Packaged: 2018-02-12 21:00:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 3,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2124555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nattherat/pseuds/subspacecommunication
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pretty much as the title says. They're illustrations with small drabbles/ficlets. Right now these will probably heavily be Bashir/Garak. (Also features redesigned aliens)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Odo brings Bashir an absolutely SEETHING Garak

**Author's Note:**

> :D Another artwork, and tiny little piece of writing.

The seething, crackling hiss was almost deafening, and the harsh noise of claws struggling against blood and metal alike created an unpleasant backdrop for the state his friend was in. Garak was moving too fast, with too little awareness, climbing over the console with none of his usual elegance or social grace. Beside him, Odo barely changed expression, as though a bloodied confused nude cardassian was merely part of his daily routine.

Bashir swallowed down any beginnings of fear welling up in the face of a furious cardassian, who in that moment looked more like a Terran shark than he was happy to admit, knowing that despite the posturing way in which Garak was circling them, they weren't in any danger. 

Knowing from the way the tip of Garak's tail curled possessively around his hand that his friend was aware on some level.

"Just get him in a position to talk Doctor. I want to know  _what exactly happened_."


	2. Bajoran Flu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flus make everything miserable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, prompt is free for use here on AO3! :D

The primary senses of a Cardassian are taste and smell, their forked tongues are incredibly sensitive to chemicals around them. They lead with their noses, and their powerful jaws are full of vicious looking serrated teeth. Behind those, the Cardassian poison glands are located, secreting a potent venom when desired which mingles with the saliva and enters the bloodstream of a victim during a bite.

The thing is, that all goes to hell when somebody brings an untreated bout of Bajoran flu around. Turns out that it really ruins the day (week) of any Cardassian who has the misfortune to bump into it without any recent inoculations. It ruins the senses just like any flu, but in particular it wrecks control over the venom glands and saliva production, and that poor Cardassian is going to spend a week drooling poison everywhere.

For an ordered, brilliant people, catching this flu is a huge cause for embarrassment. For Garak, it is yet another humiliation in his long exile.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (episode subplot: Bashir starts to notice how attractive Garak is and considers the idea of kissing him, but he picked the WORST POSSIBLE TIME TO DO THIS, as Jadzia helpfully reminds him.)


	3. Tenderly, carefully, affectionately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's some ridiculous fluff. :D As usual with these prompts, if it inspires you, do with it as you like! (Including making it not-fluffy if you want haha)

 

 

It was a rather generous thing for Garak to do, Julian felt.

Kissing him in a human manner.

The gesture couldn't really be entirely comfortable or possibly even interesting for him. Their mouths weren't at all made for each other, and though Julian found it intensely sexy (if he was perfectly honest), it probably didn't feel much more interesting than slightly nibbling something for Garak.

Not to mention how still they had to remain just to make sure he didn't get a face-full of sharp teeth, which wasn't easy given his natural inclination to move a lot.

Despite how inconvenient to him it struck Julian as being, Garak would kiss him this way regardless.

Tenderly, carefully, affectionately.

 


	4. The Replicator Apocalypse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (humour/stupidity, skip ahead to the next chapter if you want to get back to serious drabbles. :D )

The day the Cheesecake Devourer from the Gamma Quadrant arrived would forever be known among Deep Space Nine's engineering personnel as "The Replicator Apocalypse".

The property damage was immense, as the alien smeared dessert over every surface its tiny hands could reach. Which turned out to be most surfaces. Quark was furious to find his fine establishment in a state of extreme disarray after it was upturned by the ravenous Devourer. Twice, Chief O'Brien had to warn the senior officers of a potential need to evacuate after the alien chewed through vital systems believing them to be cheesecake.

Nobody knows where the Cheesecake Devourer disappeared off to after causing such destruction and annoyance. There are rumours that certain individuals ate it in retaliation. Other rumours claim it was disintegrated during a confrontation with security officers. The Federation suspects it simply returned home after eating the cheesecakes it wanted.

What  _really_  matters is getting the replicators back into working order. Everyone is really sick of cheesecake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a silly humour drawing/drabble that's actually a self-insert in a way? No pairings/clever stuff, just stupidity. XD It's my birthday, I like cheesecake, and this is a very accurate depiction of what would happen if I was allowed somewhere that could produce infinite cheesecake with no (immediate) consequences.


	5. New Arrivals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sort of a kidfic! Relies on this set-up of Bashir adopting Asha: http://subspacecommunication.tumblr.com/post/98187450851/some-of-that-artwork-of-asha-i-mentioned and this backstory about the three hatchlings: http://subspacecommunication.tumblr.com/post/99479857926/bashir-adopts-3-cardassian-babies-they-imprint-on-him  
> Apologies for all the necessary extra context there! The summary is Asha has been in Bashir's care for a while, and the hatchlings have only just been rescued.

 

“J-Julian...!”

 

Had he not seen her toothy grin, heard the excited chirrup under the translation, he would have mistaken her rare use of his first name as cause for worry.

 

Doctor Bashir grinned, closing his tricorder and watching Asha as she bent forwards to accommodate their newest arrivals – one of which clumsily snuffled its way over her back.

 

“Do you... do you think they like me?”

 

His grin spread even wider, and he set the tricorder down, leaning on the nearby console.

 

“They certainly seem to. I'd say _that_ one is already nesting.”

 

Asha let out a small giggle, but caught herself, looking between him and the hatchlings sheepishly. Not for the first time, he felt a pull at his heart as she “corrected” her own behaviour. Bashir stepped forwards with a warm smile of his own, gently retrieving the hatchling from her back so he could replace it with a comforting hand.

  
“You can laugh, it's allowed.”

 

“They tickle,” Asha elaborated. She didn't laugh, but her grin widened until all her teeth showed, and Bashir patted her back for the compromise.

 

“They're restless. Garak tells me they need to be in a nest, but they're stubborn little things. Won't settle down in the blankets.”

 

Asha looked down at the hatchlings wrapped around her talons, nosing their way around her digits.

 

“I... suppose they do not want to be alone.”

 

Her voice had taken on a more distant tone, and Bashir blinked a few times before snaking his arm further around her shoulders and half-hugging her. Of course. She knew about being alone. Even with other orphans, or even with Garak, she still seemed to feel as though she didn't belong. He wondered if that would ever change. He certainly hoped it would.

 

“Perhaps they should come home with us.”

 

Asha looked at him with round bright eyes, impossible to ignore, and he chuckled. Had he been talking with a human child, he would expect the next words Asha spoke to be a flight of fancy. Instead, she spoke as though she had studied medicine for some years.

 

“It would be unwise to keep them here, nor to have them tended by too many. They already seem somewhat anxious, there are many different scents here, few of which will be instinctively familiar. They will not manage well if they become too stressed.”

 

Bashir let his eyebrows raise in mock-surprise, but really, he expected no less.

 

“I thought you might say that. That's why I came to collect you,” He let go of her shoulder and moved to the bed to wrap the hatchling he was holding back up in one of the small blankets. Asha followed his lead and tucked the two she'd had up as well.

 

“After all, I need some help getting them back to our quarters.”

 

The wide toothy grin Bashir was rewarded with made him smile in return, and he held out his elbow for Asha to wrap her arm through, as they set off towards the habitat ring with three small chirping bundles.


	6. Sprain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick garashir ficlet in response to the prompt "hurt/comfort - sprain".

“Garak, you're going to have to-”

Julian's words were cut off as Garak's leg was pulled from his grasp again, reflexively retreating to press close against his body. The Cardassian hissed in annoyance, but Bashir knew it wasn't aimed at him. He curled his hands gently round the limb again, encouraging Garak to stretch it out.

“This is most difficult, Doctor.”

“I know. Are you going to let me fix it up?”

“Believe me my dear, I want nothing more.” Garak rolled his body to the side, better positioning himself to reach the sore leg towards Bashir.

“I can think of nothing more frustrating than losing half a day to  _this_.”

Julian smiled with sympathy, wrapping his arm around Garak's thigh to keep him in place. The ankle joint seemed painfully swollen, scales forced together without room to move. He stroked the leathery skin on the underside of his shin soothingly to try and help suppress his reflexes.

“I'm sure you would have something around to deal with this eventuality Garak. I hardly believe that you aren't prepared for this when you  _never_  come to the infirmary.”

The Cardassian chuckled, wrapping his tail around Bashir's ankles in turn.

“Perhaps I am simply looking for company.”

Julian snorted, retrieving the regenerator now that Garak's twitching had calmed, and starting to run it over the joint.

“So, plain and simple Garak sprains his ankle in his shop, waits until it cannot be walked on at all, and only then does he call Medical Officer Bashir – personally I might add – to  _come along and fix it up_.”

“You have caught me, dear Doctor.”

Julian flattened his hand against Garak's thigh, pinching a little and feeling a returning squeeze from the tail around his ankles before he twisted to look at his friend.

“You. Are insufferable.”

“Incorrect Doctor,” Garak tested his healed limb, flexing his talons, before righting himself and slithering into Julian's personal space, eliciting a delightful flush from the man.

“I am plain and simple.”


	7. Most Agreeable

There's nothing different about this particular morning.

Or maybe there is, since environmental controls aren't working, and Bashir feels lethargic with the heat.

There's nothing different about this particular morning, but when he walks into Garak's shop and spies his Cardassian friend slithering around the ceiling silently, arranging the hanging clothes displays with an obscene amount of grace for such a mundane task...

 _Fuck it_ , Julian decides.

_You only live once._

So when Garak catches his eye and uncurls from the ceiling in greeting, his clawed feet keeping him suspended with inhuman strength...

Julian softly catches his neck, pressing his lips where he knows it is culturally significant.

"Why  _doctor_ ," Garak purrs at him, and Bashir can feel his throat rumble against his mouth with the words.

"This is a  _most agreeable_  surprise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SHEER FLUFF. Sorry this has been forever without an update, and this is quite a small update at that. I hope you like it though!


	8. Apology

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake says something ignorant, and tries to make amends.

“Look, uh… I’m sorry about what I said,” Jake apologises, his arm beginning to feel numb from his nervous rubbing of it.

“It was really du- well wrong, I know.”

Asha only hisses, but at least she continues walking alongside him.

“I don’t know what I was thinking, it doesn’t even apply to humans any more so…”

“Is that why you’re wearing a dress today?” Asha asks bluntly.

“…Well yeah but… also because I wanted to,” Jake responds with a nervous smile. “It’s one of my best, and I haven’t worn it in a while.”

Asha is silent again and Jake fidgets. He’d tried to blame it all on hanging around with Ferengi too much when his dad had pulled him up on it, but… everyone was right. He was responsible for his own words. 

He’d called Asha a girl, because she’d been wearing a dress. But also because she used Bajoran pronouns, and Bajoran pronouns translated to specific human pronouns and… Gender is confusing. 

He hadn’t really meant to call her a girl. Or whatever it translated to. And he shouldn’t have said it in a mocking fashion. Dresses were nice and worn by most, he didn’t even know where his remark had come from.

“I really am sorry Asha.”

Her arms unfold. She still doesn’t look at him, but her lips pull into a slight smile and she speaks cautiously.

“…It was very humorous that Doctor Bashir arrived as you said such a thing.”

“Yeah,” Jake laughed a little, “because his dress matched yours, and the moment I turned round I just wanted to sink into the deck. I felt really foolish.”

Asha hissed, but this time it was a good hiss. That kind of open-mouthed and deep-throat hiss of mirth.

”That would have been all the more humorous.”

They see Nog waiting for them on the far side of the walkway, and Asha turns to Jake.

“I accept your apology. But please do not do it again.”

“I won’t. I promise.” Jake replies, and he means it.


	9. "I am a tailor, not a..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Couldn't help that old pun, whoops! Have some more kidfic involving Asha!

The single afternoon Garak had agreed upon had soon become _most days_.   _Most days_ , after finishing her studies of medicine, Asha would spend her time before Dr Bashir finished his shift in Garak's shop. _Most days_ she asked question after question about Cardassians, about Cardassia.

_Most days_ , Garak spun more truths for her than he cared to admit.

Most days, Garak considered as he shifted her sleeping weight to settle on him more evenly, he was satisfied with. He tapped at the dress designs before him with a single talon, only feigning his focus on work. Even Dr Bashir, in his infinite need to help, could not work much longer and Garak had already caught his scent on the tip of his tongue. Within moments, the human had entered his shop with a sheepish and thankful grin.

"My dear Doctor," Garak began in a drawn out manner, making an amused show of how inconvenienced he was. "Might I remind you I am a tailor, and not a child minder?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cardassians sleep with their eyes open, due to their eyes being ocular scales and devoid of eyelids. They do have a nictitating membrane though, which makes for an interesting combination. I don't know if it comes across, but I imagine Asha to look a unique cross between creepy and adorable when sleeping!


	10. "The Mummy (1999)"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who doesn't love Holosuite adventures with hidden meanings?

When Garak first suggested Bashir switch his character role from Rick the Hero to Jonathan the Comedy Relief, Julian was insulted - he had to admit. Jonathan wasn’t exactly a flattering role to be likened to. But Julian Bashir could hardly back down from a challenge, especially not one issued by Garak, so sure enough he came to the Holosuite appropriately dressed for his new part.

As so often happens with Holonovels, "The Mummy (1999)” became a strange new work, combining the original material with the 24th Century. The Earth depicted now a strange hybrid planet with Cardassia Prime (or at least, a heavily filtered version added by Garak). The Medjai now Cardassian people, their horses now riding hounds.

It was only upon seeing Garak finally take to the role of Ardeth Bay (their fifth time playing, and Julian’s third time as Jonathan), walking his hound along a line of Medjai with ease, that Bashir finally understood _why_ Garak had suggested he play Jonathan.

Jonathan Carnahan, a man whose history lay equally within England and Egypt, or to put it more bluntly: a man intrinsically linked to and ever drawn to the desert.

And Ardeth Bay himself, a man of the desert and of a secret order. An enigma, to the other protagonists of the story - to Jonathan. To Bashir.

Oh, there’d be far more than that at play of course. As ever, he could only grasp just a little below the surface of Garak’s meaning, but he had a new appreciation for what he _could_ grasp.

Garak was right: the role of Jonathan _was_ a perfect fit for Julian.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've wanted to draw this for two years, I really have. I'm a huge fan of The Mummy, and... of Jonathan and Ardeth. It was impossible for me to not make the connection. XD


	11. You were... right, you know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based on WriterToBridge's Fic: "First Meeting"! You can find it here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/8263093/chapters/20284048  
> In short, it's an AU in which Garak and Bashir's species are swapped. As soon as I read it, I absolutely had to draw/write something myself! This is pretty much a direct continuation, so I really recommend you read First Meeting first! The art at the start of this is really more to do with First Meeting than it is for this ficlet!

With his rare red colouration and branched feathers, Jules (as he found his name written in “standard”, once the Federation were aboard. He was uncertain whether to question it or not.) already attracted attention on Deep Space 9. That he was the lone Cardassian didn’t help either. Unable to continue practicing medicine, unable to return to Cardassia, unwelcome on Bajor, regarded with suspicion by the Federation... he seemed to spend his days in a haze, unsure of what to do with himself and only managing to get by on odd errands.

Until Emil, that was. Oh, Jules knew he should be careful - Bajorans were hardly the only species who would happily see him dead, not that he could blame them - but it was _so good_ to have someone to talk to. Emil listened to everything, and so well (Jules had never had a Human give him the time of day, he’d said, before hurriedly apologising for any offense. Emil had waved it away with a smile Jules couldn’t find more welcoming.). So Jules would speak for hours in Emil’s shop, watching his Human hands sew threads into garments Jules would have thought impossible.

“You were... right, you know,” Jules changed subject abruptly, his awkward pause punctuated by his clicks. Emil didn’t miss a beat, but of course he didn’t - he was the only creature on board the station that didn’t react negatively to Jules’ nervous disposition, and he’d been wringing his talons all day.

“Mister Bashir?”

That Emil made an effort at the Cardassian pronunciation always pleased Jules, so he neglected to chide the use of the strange title.

“I... did aid Bajor. At least... here on Te- this station. You’ve probably heard the Infirmary used to be mine - it was. I... tried to do the right thing.”

“What is _right_ is most subjective,” Emil replied, continuing to prepare his fabric. Jules was amazed that with such... underdeveloped vision, the human was capable of such precision cutting fabrics. “I daresay your superiors did not believe you were ‘doing the right thing’.”

Jules snorted, memory already presenting him with countless lectures on the inferiority of other species. 

“And you were right, that’s why I’m... here. Still.”

They were silent, and Jules shifted his weight between talons uneasily. It was difficult to know whether Emil would remember the details of their first conversation - Human memory was much like Bajoran memory, he had learned. Linear, and increasingly murky, rather than simultaneous as his own. He really should have provided that context first, he realised.

“...I see,” Emil put down the cutter and smiled, and Jules had to smile too, skittering closer.

“Well, my dear, I for one am pleased you remain here. You keep an old tailor good company.”

Jules couldn’t help but break into a wide grin then - the toothy open-mouthed sort he really tried to keep under wraps, since it scared others so - but he couldn’t help it. Acceptance and companionship given by this single human had, at some point, become invaluable to him. 

“Then I’ll stay here as long as I can,” he replied in delight. “And continue to interrupt your work with news of fiction that is worth your time!”


	12. Cardassians

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Species Swap AU. Season 2, "Cardassians". After visiting the orphanage on Bajor, Jules is unable to leave Asha behind. Emil, for reasons of his own, decides to assist.

Five days, fourteen hours, and thirty minutes; give or take. In Earth time, that was. He had really expected it to take longer, but apparently he had underestimated the Cardassian's response.

 

Almost a week since Jules had hopped from foot to foot outside of Garak's quarters, almost a week since he had insisted they travel to Bajor _somehow –_ something Emil would never have agreed to if it weren't for the information it betrayed; that Jules knew more about Dukat and Cardassian Military affairs than he ought to for an exiled doctor – and almost a week since he had practically whimpered when the child had approached them. Garak knew then that it wouldn't be the last time he saw the little thing.

 

So five days, fourteen hours, and thirty-or-so minutes later, Garak had again agreed to assist. As much as he was inconvenienced, the opportunity was too good to miss. His Cardassian... _friend_ was willingly taking on a vulnerability, jumping legal hoops to bring the child aboard the station, and trusting secrets in Garak. He had no use for them at the time, and no requirement to report on Jules, but all of it could come in very useful.

 

Emil watched the exchange in front of him in amusement, finalising a few details on the PADD as part of his bargain with Jules, who in turn was shuffling nervously in response to Odo's questioning. The child, Asha, was clinging to Bashir's back as though she was always meant to be there, while Jules' tail flicked around to map the space and keep her safe. Yes, Emil really had underestimated Cardassian protectiveness over children. There were no end of fanciful descriptions of such bonds in the literature they had shared, but Garak hadn't believed it. He still didn't, as such, but real or not he was going to watch events unfold.

 

“Constable,” Emil interrupted, before Jules' talon-wringing and tail-mapping became too much. He held out the PADD to Odo, not flinching at all when the irate Kira snatched it up first.

 

“You will find Asha is here by my request. As a Federation citizen, whether temporary or permanent, she is permitted free movement in Federation space and among Federation civilians.”

 

The Major beat Odo to a dismissive snort. Her feelings were always worn on her sleeve, and she hadn't liked the relationship Garak had struck up with the Cardassian. On his part, Odo fixed Garak with a severe stare. He gave his _most amicable smile_ in return.

 

To her credit, Kira managed to hand the PADD back, intact, and with only a mild follow-up snarl. He was impressed. He bowed his head and thanked her, as though she was doing a most gracious favour for him. Nearby, he could positively feel Jules relax, and after a growled order to keep the child “out of her way”, the Major and the Constable departed.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Garak turned to the Cardassian, finding he was already helping Asha down and focusing on her. It would make Jules weaker, a baffling decision. There was clearly a history with Dukat that Garak had yet to uncover, but this new addition opened Bashir up to attack. If Jules was relying on Dukat to view the child as sacred as the children in the florid Cardassian literature he enjoyed so much, Emil suspected he'd be out of luck. The idea caused him more discomfort than he would have liked. He folded his arms and kept the amicable smile on his face until Bashir was satisfied enough to look at him.

 

“You are most welcome, my dear doctor. I am quite sure you don't need me to say-”

 

“'I hope you know what you're doing', I know,” Jules nodded with severity, but his mouth split into a toothy grin a moment after. “I wish I did. But I couldn't do anything else. So... thank you.”

 

There was nothing more for it, so Garak simply smiled and led them to the Replimat, their new little acquaintance pattering along in tow.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love species swap au so much. :'D Julian translates into such a fun Cardassian to draw! The ficlet is not the best, but I really wanted to give context to the art, and it became a now-or-never situation. I hope you enjoyed it anyway!


End file.
